Prologue 1-2: Nyanyan Atlantia

Prologue 1-2: Nyanyan Atlantia

“Hahh, hahh, hahh...”

Nyanyan was running underground, beneath the temple. The polished marble floor was so smooth that it was free of the slightest protrusion that might scrape the foot of anyone running across it barefoot.

Normally, Nyanyan would have no difficulty running down this corridor, but right now, it was all she could do to stay standing. Because the corridor, the ceiling, the entire building was shaking violently. It was even worse than usual.

Oh, no, please no...

Nyanyan repeated those same fearful words in her heart as she ran as fast as she could.

The shaking had been going on for over ten minutes now. Cracks were already running down the walls. If she didn’t get out soon, then she would be buried alive underground.

“...!”

Nyanyan let her handcuffed arms dangle loosely in front of her as she put all her effort into moving her legs up the stairs that led outside. It was no simple task. The shaking made it hard to walk on a flat surface, and the stairs were even more of a challenge. She had fallen several times just running down the corridor. She couldn’t even brace herself properly with the cuffs on. She was already covered in scratches and bruises.

“Augh!”

She stumbled again, this time smacking her forehead on the stairs in front of her. A sharp pain ran through her head, making tears well up in her eyes.

“Ow...”

But Nyanyan still considered herself lucky. If she had fallen backwards, she would’ve fallen down the stairs. Already on her hands and knees, Nyanyan gave up on the idea of standing and simply crawled up the remaining steps one at a time. The first thing she saw when she reached the surface... was that her hometown was sinking.

“No way...”

The unbelievable sight left Nyanyan in a stupor for a moment.

“Atlantis... is sinking.”

She was only saying aloud what was happening right in front of her, but she could still hardly believe it. Perhaps she was just feeling faint from all the running, but it all just seemed so utterly unreal.

But that didn’t stop it from happening. Her homeland was indeed sinking to the bottom of the sea as she watched. Nyanyan collapsed against a pillar of the temple, lost for words.

There didn’t appear to be any adults around to tap her on the shoulder and tell her to evacuate, so they must have run away already. But... where to? Just where could they have gone? How would they be saved? Was it even possible to save anyone? It was pointless to even ask. But if there was even a one-in-a-million chance, then...

“!”

Nyanyan turned on her heels and headed back inside the temple. She’d be placing everything on that bet.